


Felix

by historicallyredacted (lockandkey)



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, F/M, Kid Fic, M/M, Magic Kids, Past Caleo - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), past solangelo - Freeform, single parent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-11
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-08-19 04:31:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20203765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lockandkey/pseuds/historicallyredacted
Summary: Leo finds out he's a father, which is weird given he's never had sex.Now his kid is levitating, so he'll probably need help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've written ...nearly 30 Leo centric fanfics (though, fun fact, the first Riordan story I ever wrote was for Kane Chronicles, way back in time, on FF.net)  
Yet, somehow, never posted any Valdangelo. Which is weird, given it was one of the first ships I had in HoO. Not my first PJO ship, which I can't really even remember at this point. (I'm old, if you can't tell.) But, when I started writing stories for HoO, the very first one was actually valdangelo. 
> 
> This story is one of the first I ever wrote for the fandom. I've now obviously adapted parts, rewritten things. When I started it, Will and Nico weren't a thing, Leo and Calypso weren't a thing, and it was waaaay before any events in Trials of Apollo. 
> 
> (I have also been working on like 5 of my other stories too, please don't shoot me for starting a new one.)
> 
> Warning: Probably very suspect parenting techniques. Do not try at home. Or, maybe do if your child begins to float or glow.

Leo was numb as he looked down in horror.

"What?"

_ What, what, what?!   
_The package in his arms blinked twice.

“It's yours,” Calypso said airily.

Leo snapped his head up to stare at the woman he had been living with for many years. She didn't look nearly as frazzled as he felt, but then again Leo thought she looked flawless at any given time. The benefits of magic.

“_WHAT_?” He finally shouted, before wincing as the shock had caused the baby to stir.

“How. _No_. What?! How is that even possible?!”

Calypso stared at him with an expression Leo had long known to mean, _'oh, you poor stupid little demigod._'

“Our affection has brought him forth.” Calypso said, as though it explained absolutely anything.

“Okay, but. _We've never had sex,_” Leo whined, resisting the urge to stamp his foot. He was an adult, an adult person, one that could not lower themselves to throwing a tantrum.

Of course Leo wanted to have sex; he had wanted to have sex since he first found out what sex was. (Age 9, foster parent #2, older son had a _lot_ of porn.) When he started dating a beautiful, amazing powerful girl it certainly didn't squash those urges.

At first, they hadn't lived _together_ together after springing Calypso from Ogygia. After all, he was 15, and she was...like...uh.

Leo didn't actually know exactly.

But, either way, after years in the Waystation, they didn't start living together until he was 18, and decided to forgo his college years in favor of starting up their little garage. Calypso was a homebody, while Leo spent a good amount of time away from the Waystation at various camps or on missions or world catastrophe of the week.

So, actually moving in together, like a real couple, was a huge thing for Leo. It was amazing, but Leo had been expecting something a bit more…_more_. Hope, and try as he might, as only an 18 year old boy with demigod levels of hormones could attest...there had been absolutely _zero_ nookie. Half the time when he brought it up, Calypso stared at him as though he had grown a second head. Which, that hadn't happened in years.

Eventually, after a while, Leo realized it just wasn't going to happen. Calypso, for whatever reason, hadn’t even considered it or wasn't inclined. They cuddled, kissed, spooned, nuzzled and what have you, but what he _thought _should come after...well, _no one_ was coming after. Besides in the shower. Alone.  
As the days, and years passed, Leo began to realize he didn't mind.  
He had all these prior expectations as to what a relationship should be, but found out most of those expectations were deeply flawed or entirely wrong. Shockingly, popular media wasn’t the most reliable source of information.

Leo loved Calypso, and while he really..._really_ wished at the time they could be more intimate, he wasn't going to destroy their relationship for it.   
Calypso was different, she wasn’t at all human; or maybe she was simply asexual. Either way, they were happy. Also Leo invested in sex toys for himself, so it was fine.  
  
In fact, it was better than fine. It was great. For a few years.

Calypso looked personally offended after Leo's comment, her pouty mouth pursing into a thin line that could only mean trouble. Leo referred to it as Angry Seagull Face, as her lips made a M shape, like a child's drawing of birds.

“What does sex have to do with anything?”

Leo made a high pitched noise in the back of his throat.  
“How else do babies happen?!”

“Honestly,” Calypso huffed with a roll of the eyes. “It's like you forget you're not human.”

Leo felt a strong need to begin tapping his fingers, but they were currently full of baby.  
  
“I'm not human, Leo. I have _no_ human side, unlike you. You already know Athena could have children without intercourse, do you really think it is purely limited to her? Athena was born out of Zeus, Anteros was born from Nerites and his relationship with Poseidon.”

Leo checked that bit into his ongoing file, _'information to ask Percy Jackson about later_.'

Calypso paused and glanced down at the child Leo was currently holding.

“I've had children before, you know... With Odysseus...and others. They were born the usual mortal way, after our bodies had been joined. But those men _never_ loved me, Leo. You do, and I love you. I know we haven’t been together in some time, but…that doesn’t change anything. This child is a being created from our reciprocated feelings for one another. Not due to curse. A true mutual love is a very amazing thing, I’m happy I had the chance to find it.”

Leo took a moment to let the information sink in, and gazed down on his...son? He did look a bit like them, with his own head of curly dark hair, but with skin a bit closer to Calypso's.

Then the baby caught fire, and Leo screamed, until he realized the kid was laughing.

Leo hadn't set the baby on fire, the...baby had set himself on fire?

“Okay,” Leo muttered, “_definitely_ mine then.”

“He wailed the entire trip here, and only laughed when a person walking in front of us slipped in a pile of dog feces. Obviously, he's yours.” Calypso said, feigning anger, but Leo knew her well enough to tell that was her fond tone.

“I just…I don't know if I'm ready to have a kid yet? I mean, one day, sure. Or, at least I thought we might…maybe have some prior notice?...We didn't even get to go to any Lamaze classes.”

Calypso's expression softened slightly, and she reached out to push a piece of hair out of Leo’s eyes. “I'm not sorry he exists, but I am sorry it happened so suddenly like this. I didn't really have any warning either, he just…showed up next to me one morning.”

In Olympus, Calypso didn’t add, but they both knew.  
Leo was currently in attempts to open another garage in New Rome, to expand business. They hadn't seen each other in person for a few months, besides a few Iris calls. It was getting lonely, but on the plus side, most of Leo's friends were either living in New Rome, or going to college here.

Then again, Leo thought darkly, he hadn't seen much of them either. He lived nearby, and still no house visits or bags of freshly baked cookies.

Fatal flaw: Insecurity, Leo reminded himself. They had busy lives, and he could take some time off and visit _them_ too.

“I think you should take some time to bond,” Calypso said finally.

Leo looked up at his...??? (They were always a bit unclear on the whole label front thing. Definitely not girlfriend. Somehow less, and more.)

“So… you’re leaving?”

“Yes. I have a business to run, amongst other things.”

“I have a shop to build!” Leo retorted, scared enough as it was about raising a demigod baby. He really didn't want to see another of his dreams fall through. Leo may have liked to put the I'M in impossible, but clever as he may be, the idea of getting the garage up and running on top of dealing with little flameo seemed..._extremely difficult_.

“Take time off, bond with your son. He's part demigod, I'm immortal. He'll need you more than he needs me in the future.”  
  
It was an unpleasant reminder, that their relationship had an expiration date.  
Specifically, Leo’s expiration date.

They had both wondered if leaving Ogygia would cause Calypso to become mortal, way back when. It didn't. She seemed to be mortal at first, with their Apollo adventures. Calypso was injured a few times, she seemed to age somewhat. But, it wasn’t long before her powers had returned.  
She was a powerful magician, and aged her visage to match her partner in the past. Odysseus knew her as a beautiful young woman, Percy and Leo knew her as a beautiful teen. Now, she looked to be around 20. Leo was 23, and didn't entirely understand why she made herself look younger than he was...but he wasn't going to tell her off about it. Arguments tended to end with him getting turned into something.   
She had started shifting her age to match Leo’s or the demigods they knew, without telling Leo. It took him a few years before he had fully realized Calypso _had_ fully regained her powers, her immortal form. It was an unpleasant conversation.  
Calypso had still wanted to work with Leo, on their shop, but soon she had been given a new title by the Olympians.  
  
New work, new duties fit for a Goddess.

Calypso shifted, and a bar stool sauntered up to her to offer a seat. Not something Leo had programmed it to do.  
“People may say raising children is hard, but I've never found it to be all that difficult. Just put a magic bubble around them so they don't suffocate themselves while sleeping or fall to their doom off a cliff, and make the enchanted housewares take care of the feeding and the diapers.” Calypso then brought her hand to her chin, brows furrowing in thought.  
“Ah…I suppose you don't have access to those though, oh well. I trust you can build something similar?” Leo wasn't so confident, nor as willing to stuff a baby into some sort of sentient bubble.

Though their shared love of magic spherical objects was one of the things that kept them together.

“You may name him,” Calypso said confidently, obviously believing it would be a generous gift in place of an enchanted changing table. “As long as it _isn't_ Festus,” she added quickly, faltering just slighting.  
Leo looked mildly disappointed.

“I guess...I could, uh, take some time off. I don't have any baby things th-”

Before Leo could finish speaking, Calypso leaned down to pick up a large bag and deposit it on top of his work bench. A light mist of some type of powder, Leo was really hoping was baby powder, left a small cloud behind in the bags wake. Calypso unzipped it to reveal baby supplies. Painfully outdated baby supplies. Like, Minoan levels of outdated.

Leo internally grimaced but smiled at Calypso. “What would I do without you, sunshine?”

“Die,” she immediate responded. Leo laughed, and agreed.

Calypso blinked, realization dawning in her eyes. “Do _not_ name him Sunshine.”

“I was thinking more like...Arturo, or Diego, or something?” Leo suggested, he hadn't really ever thought about baby names, those names were just the first to come to his mind for some reason. He pondered Sammy but didn't know how Hazel'd react to it.

Calypso pursed her mouth and crossed her arms. “Those are far too ordinary for my child. Why not a traditional Greek name?” She asked.

“Kind of feels like been there done that, around here.” Leo shrugged.  
The baby boy in his arms, who seemed to have a hard time extinguishing all of his flames, gurgled unhappily. The fire had gone from his little body, but remained on his head. The little guy coughed, and spluttered a glob of fire onto a surprised Leo's chest.

“Huh, that's a new one. He's like a little dragon!”

“No naming him Festus,” Calypso reiterated.

Leo rolled his eyes. “He'd get jealous anyway. What about Fénix?”

“Foínix?”

“Fénix.”

“What?”

“What?” They stared at each other for a moment, before the baby spat up another fireball on Leo's chest.

“Okay, maybe not. What about…Felix?”

Calypso looked down at her firebreathing child.  
  
“That is...acceptable.”

That night they spent some time catching up, and Leo ordered in even though both of them were fine cooks. Some days, Leo knew their relationship was one more about mutual understanding and affection these days. He knew they weren’t really together, hadn’t been for a year or so… but having a date night once in a while never hurt.  
Like she had said, they still loved one another.

The 'date' part was made a bit awkward by Felix spitting up fire every once in a while, before going full on human torch once. Both parents tried to distract the wailing fireball, with jingling car keys or magically animated dolls.  
  
Leo tried to light himself, then extinguish the flames, as an example for the baby. It worked, sort of. Felix was obviously intelligent enough to pick up on certain things fairly quickly, and after seeing Leo's display, he managed to put out his own flame as well. And then start it up again. And then end it. And then start it.

Soon they had a living breathing strobe light… but at least he wasn't crying anymore.

Calypso tried to lull the baby into a rest by floating him into the air, and gently rocking him. It finally worked, thankfully.

Then, Calypso explained to Leo that their child had never appeared to be a new born. That wasn’t entirely odd, mythology was filled with children being born nearly fully formed, like Apollo and Artemis, or Athena. Calypso thought the fact Leo was half human might have something to do with Felix's approximate maturity.

“Well, I'm still going to celebrate his birthday the day he showed up, instead of trying to figure out some time of mental conception.” Leo had said, as one of his spheres took over for Calypso's magic and rocked the baby gently. Spheres he trusted as makeshift babysitters, Buford not so much.

Eventually, the night grew darker, and after some time Calypso announced she had to leave. Leo stood in the doorway to his small home, wanting to ask her to stay longer. He always wanted to but knew she couldn’t.  
She was still fiercely protective over the people she loved, and definitely over Leo. But her immortality was as big of a weight to her, as it was to Leo; Calypso had pictured a mortal life together after she left Ogygia, and realizing it wasn’t going to happen hurt her too.   
On Ogygia, she never had to watch people age and die.  
So, Calypso kept on the move, to put herself at a bit of a distance. Leo couldn't blame her, he’d spent more than enough time on the move in his youth.  
  
So, they embraced, she kissed his forehead and said their goodbyes.

Normally, Leo would watch her until she was out of sight, but Felix' cries had him moving away to check the kiddo. He wondered if Felix could sense his mother’s departure.

Now, Leo knew more about babies than some might think, given his attention span and knack of exploding things. But, as a multiple home foster kid, he had lived with people who had other kids. Sometimes their own, sometimes other foster kids. It wasn't uncommon for some of the worst families he stayed with, to have many kids living at the home, usually underfed and under loved. Leo ended up taking care of kids of all ages, and that included a baby or two.

Plus, after living in the Waystation, he’d sort of took on big brother responsibilities for Georgina and Meg. So, he was no novice.  
  
That didn't stop him from getting no sleep that night.

Leo tried to make a makeshift bed for Felix, but the kid just burnt down anything that wasn't metal. After an hour, most of the metal things that Leo owned had grown cautious of the little ball of flaming joy and were trying to hide themselves. A few miniature flying ships hid themselves in his cupboards, and a pair of faulty Hermes model flying shoes ducked under his bed.

Thankfully, Leo's own bedding was fireproof, thanks to Calypso, but Leo was pretty sure the baby shouldn't be in the bed with him. He didn't know much about _all_ the ins and outs, outside of feeding and changing and all of that, but he was pretty sure there was something about hard mattresses being good.

This stopped being an issue when the kid began to levitate.

Leo, Buford, about 5 spheres and a host of all sorts of other mechanical menagerie began darting around in a panic. Felix was giggling for the most part, until he floated high enough to bump lightly on the ceiling. Then he started sobbing, and his tears were boiling hot, which had Buford the side table hiding under a larger table.

“Oh gods, okay. I can, uh, okay. No, okay. ….No. Okay, Think, idiot.”

Leo talked himself in and out of being a parent for a few minutes, probably less time than it felt in his head. That was probably because his main focus was trying to use a broom handle to cautiously nudge his new-ishborn away from the ceiling fan.  
  
When Leo was pretty sure he could look away for a minute, he began to devise a plan.  
Leo planned well, as much as he’d argue up and down that all he ever did was wing it Valdez style. Sure, his planning was half improvisation, but it wasn't like it wasn't thought through. Leo's brain just functioned better in chaos, he did well when put on the spot; and, okay, sure, unfortunately most of his plans he created ended in dismemberment or death, but usually only for monsters.  
  
Here he was an adult with almost all of his original limbs, and only having really completely died once, so that should have counted for something.  
  
After coming up with what he hoped was a baby-safe idea, Leo spent the next hour trying to lure his son down; but when that continued to get him nowhere Leo decided on making sure Felix wouldn't be able to float off like an old man in a house strapped to balloons.  
His levitating child went back and forth between seeming intrigued by Leo frantically building, and between the hovering spheres that were watching the child carefully, in case he decided to plummet.

Which he did, but only after spitting up once, and then falling asleep. The spheres did their job, and gently caught the little abomina-..._miracle_, even making sure to keep the infants head supported. Not something Leo had programmed them to do. Clever bots.

Leo hoped they wouldn't have to do it again though, as he looked down at his newest creations.

One, he happily called ‘Baby Jail’. A celestial bronze...let's not call it a cage, that could have a suspended fireproof rocker kept inside.

Maybe a papoose cradle-board would be beneficial, Leo thought, scratching the three hairs on his chin. He’d seen a few at a museum he’d gone to with Piper. Strapping that kid in good and tight to the point he could barely move his limbs seemed like the safe and humane thing to do for the rest of the world.

His other grand creation was a heavy duty baby carrier Leo could wear. He could wear it and be laughed at, yes, but at least his baby wouldn't fly off. He really didn't want to call in baby retrieving favors with Jason.  
Leo had used his own bedding, and a few other fireproof things he had lying around in the design. It was secure, fireproof, float-proof, and hopefully other general demigod/titan baby related horribleness... proof.

He still needed outside help though. Someone either with magic, or a magic voice.

Leo gingerly stuffed his newborn into the carrier contraption and was pleased not to wake him. He'd dealt with a child with colic before, and preferred the flaming and floating thing to the nonstop crying and screaming.

His kid was actually pretty cool. In a ...will probably shorten Leo's life span significantly due to stress sort of way.

When Leo noticed the sun coming up, an hour or so later, he made the call to go call in some back up. It was a hard decision between going to Hazel and Frank's place, or Jason and Piper's place...but ultimately, he decided he needed to talk to someone who could fly.  
He could call Hazel once he was there, because he'd probably need her magic skills too.  
(Plus, Frank tended to get pissed off when Leo showed up before 8am.)  
  
So, Leo slid a flameproof little cap he had made earlier onto the kid's head to keep his brains warm in the cold morning air; jostled on his carrier, swallowed any embarrassment, and made his way out the front door.

New Rome had grown, according to the Roman demigod kids he knew, which he didn't doubt given the fucking size of the place. Camp Half Blood had expanded too, to allow for schools, a college, and some housing structures for older demigods who wanted to settle down; but it still didn't come close to the size of New Rome.

The housing area all felt kind of like a university town, in any other part of the country. For being Romans, this area felt a bit more laid back. This early in the morning, most the little pathways and sidewalks were empty, which Leo was indefinitely glad for.

Or at least, he was until spotting someone on the path ahead of him, walking in his direction. Leo nearly tripped over his own feet, which would have been a not good thing to do with a baby strapped to his chest, just looking at the man in front of him.

Even with his head down, the guy was stupidly attractive, in a way that would have had Leo stumbling over bad pickup lines. If Leo wasn’t a new father…And if anyone actually took his flirting seriously.

The ladies? Leo was fine at throwing out completely awful pickup lines, but for some reason hot guys made him all sweaty and nervous. (He blamed growing up in a few more conservative foster homes in Texas. Hitting on girls, completely expected, hitting on guys usually resulted in broken bones.) It wasn't like Leo had ever been with any guys, or girls for that matter. He had been with Calypso for...years and years, and since their relationship was nonphysical, Leo was as virginal as some goddesses.

This guy though, had Leo stopping in his tracks, because _damn_.

Hot damn, son. Leo thought again dumbly, before looking down at his actual son and apologizing silently.

The mystery guy was tall, probably similar height to Percy, maybe a hair taller; but a bit thinner than the son of Poseidon. This man’s shoulders were broad, and his hips were thin, but muscular from the vast amount of detail Leo could pick up from a _way_ too tight dark t shirt.

V-neck, Leo corrected mentally.

"Probably a douchebag. I mean, who honestly wears v-necks anymore? Shame on you, attractive man. Nobody wants to see your pecs, except me. And probably everyone else." Leo muttered to himself quietly, trying not to look like he was obviously staring as they got closer to one another.

The sun wasn't quite yet properly up, but Leo could tell the guy checked right into Leo's preferred boxes for any gender. Calypso was honestly an exception to Leo’s normal taste, but she still so often had that beautiful, ‘I’m incredibly annoyed by your existence,’ look that Leo was inherently drawn to. Leo couldn’t see this guys face, but still. He made the list.

Dark hair? Check.  
Pale? Check.  
Tight pants, like punk rock and emo had a beautiful baby? Check.  
  
Then the guy looked up and made eye contact with Leo, who was still standing there feeling like he was going through puberty all over again.

“Leo?” He asked curiously, and Leo felt some part of his brain spontaneously combust, scream, and promptly die.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's life had been a bit of a rocky path, but he's straightened out now. Except for the 'straight' part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Young dumb kids make mistakes

Oh no, no.  
No._ no_.  
No.  
No?  
**No**. Off limits, he is 100% off limits. Hazel would somehow use her witchy powers to find out, and then flay Leo alive.  
  
“N-…Nico?” Leo asked in response, hoping his mental tirades didn't show through on his face, but his voice cracked like he was 15 all over again. Not helpful.

“Hey,” Nico nodded in greeting, his hands in his pockets. “It's been awhile.”

Yes, Leo agreed, quite a while indeed.  
Around 3 years with nearly no contact apart from an Iris message or two; though they met once briefly around 2 years ago. Nico hadn't been quite so _hot damn_ then, but he had shot up there. Leo had felt annoyed at the time, he wanted someone in the group short and scrawny like him, but Nico’s damn ‘Big Three’ genes betrayed him. Hazel was the shortest, and she was still taller than Leo by an inch and a half.  
  
Nico had come a long way since when Leo first met him, way back on the Argo. They might not have been exactly _buddies_ while they were both at Camp Half Blood early on, but they still got along well. At least, when Nico wasn’t punching Leo’s shoulder for whatever stupid thing Leo was doing at the moment. Both appreciated the occasional dark joke, or badly crafted pun. The problem then was neither really saw the other without being around everyone else. On the Gaia quest, Nico was more around Hazel. He knew Percy and Annabeth first. Plus, he was so closed off, and Leo was busy on the ship, they just didn’t talk much.

After that, he was generally with Will, or with Jason (when he was done being dead), or other people in camp.  
  
It was fine at first, because by then Leo had Calypso, and then the Waystation, and other things to worry about. But eventually the camp as a whole began to realize than when Nico started dating, he tended to go all in...and not in a great way. At first, he was just very devoted, in a sweet naive self-sacrificing way that Leo could understand. Leo was the same way. Kids like them tended to view themselves as less worthy, so anyone that showed them the slightest bit of affection either made them feel awkward, or caused them to just dive immediately into the deep end. I mean, Leo _had_ sort of blown himself up to get to Ogygia, so, again. Leo understood.  
…For a while.  
Then, it got bad. Nico slowly became the sort of person who _only_ wanted to be around, or only wanted to talk about their partner. He didn't want to go out without his boyfriend anymore. He didn't see the point of just hanging out with his other friends any longer, which made everything go a bit south.

Nico was just barely 15 when he began dating Will. They went pretty much everywhere together, they had that old married couple feel that made it seem like they'd be together forever, even with all of Nico’s more negative issues starting to appear.

Which is why them breaking up a year later _did_ surprise the rest of the camp. Leo was back in camp for the summer and realized everyone was acting oddly. It was strange to see so many Greek demigods that quiet for so long. Will eventually confided once to Leo (of all people) that Nico just really hadn't been ready for a relationship, whereas Will already had a year on him, and more people and dating experience to boot. Nico’s past, through no fault of his own, made it even harder to get around certain hurdles, so eventually they fell apart. Will didn’t like that Nico was increasingly getting upset whenever Will wanted to hang out with his own friends. Will understood why Nico was nervous, why he was scared, after having lost so many people, after being displaced in time. Will wanted to talk with him about it, but Nico would react negatively, calling it pity or just vanishing for a few hours.  
Will loved Nico, not just as a boyfriend, but as his friend; but he knew better than anyone how the younger boy could get sometimes. If Nico wasn’t willing to talk to him about it, and if Nico was trying to control what Will did, there wasn’t really much more he could so.  
  
Supposedly, they planned on staying friends. _Supposedly _it was a mutual split. They started as friends, and Will had hoped they’d return to that… but Nico had taken it hard and barely even acknowledged Will existed. Will ended up leaving camp not to long after, going to live with his mother before college, upset their friendship and relationship had fallen through.

Will had always been a good guy, and obviously still liked Nico, maybe he even intended on eventually getting back together after Nico had a bit more real-world experience or was more willing to talk to him.  
But, it wasn’t meant to be.

Nico brooded for all about a month before he was dating someone else, another guy from the Apollo Cabin closer to Nico's age, just a few months off. Their relationship didn't last long either and it wasn't hard to see why, but it was hard to watch. Nico had gone from a devoted boyfriend with a few issues, to straight up controlling and demanding. The next few boyfriends didn't last long either. Nico hadn't treated them very well, nothing violent, he would have never hit them, but it was obviously an increasing problem. His friends and sister tried not to say anything explicit for a long time, just giving ‘suggestions’ and ‘helpful advice’. (This was particularly not well received when Percy tried to talk to Nico about relationships.)  
It continued until one day Hazel finally snapped. It was after seeing Nico yell at his boyfriend, a meek little thing from the Aphrodite cabin, over some minor thing. Hazel chewed him out, in front of several of the so called 7, and other friends they had. It wasn’t exactly undeserved, the Aphrodite boy had nearly been crying as Nico had yelled at him; but similarly, Nico looked devastated as Hazel, his only living sister, chastised him to Hades and back. (Leo hadn’t been there for it, but Piper informed him Hazel yelling ‘get your shit together!’ was quite an experience.)  
  
Nico didn't take it well, he thought Hazel hated him. He thought they all hated him.

He vanished the next day, for nearly a year. He was strong enough no one would question if he could make it by himself. Still, of course, they looked. They asked Hades, Persephone, but weren’t given any solid answers. They likely knew, but the couple in the underworld was one of the few deities that didn’t want involved in demigod politics. Nico didn’t _want_ to be found. This isn’t the first time, Percy would say, but he still looked concerned for the kid he viewed as a sort of little brother.

There was no news, nothing. Just a few rumors, here and there.

Then, Nico just reappeared out of the blue…or out of the shadows, as he tended to. But this time, new boyfriend in tow. One he had been apparently dating for about 5 months, which was the longest he had dated anyone since Will. The other guy was a Roman that Nico had met during the summer, ironically enough _also_ named Jason, and they seemed quite content together. (Awkwardness aside, on the name front)  
Nico had lost some of his edge somewhere along the way, he admitted Hazel's words struck a chord with him. He had reflected on his behavior, even talked to a few human psychologists (apparently scaring the ever living shit out of a few of them, just appearing randomly in their offices.)  
Nico admitted he was wrong, what he had done was wrong. He had feared relationships, love, and all the heartache that could follow. Nico viewed the pain as inevitable and wanted to do everything he could to avoid it, and ended up just making everything worse and worse, like a self-fulfilling prophecy.  
He made a point of apologizing to his ex-boyfriends, all of them, including Will. Will was dating someone else by then (Michael Kahale), but it seemed like Nico and him had actually gotten the opportunity to become friends again. While no longer romantic, they began to joke around with each again. They both admitted they were happy they had dated, sorry it ended the way it had, but were happier as just friends.  
  
Nico’s relationship with Eagle Two (as Leo called the Other Jason) ended after about a year, but it was an amicable end, Nico was more involved in New York, J Squared (as Leo also called him) was more in California, and their work and studies just had them drifting apart. Nico moped a bit after but (thankfully) didn't revert back into the jerk he had been before. Just a normal post breakup moment of sadness for relationship lost, and a bit of awkwardness when they ran into one another, but otherwise everything was perfectly normal.

Eventually, a number of their friends in Camp Half Blood weren’t around as often. Percy and Annabeth had gone to New Rome for what Percy called a gap year and what Annabeth viewed as free access to a new library and ghosts to harass over architectural styles of their centuries. Jason (of the Undeadening, as Jason preferred Leo to _not_ call him) tended to flit back and forth between different camps, different shrines, and all of his other duties. It was sort of part of the deal with the coming back to life thing, that Apollo arranged.

When Jason and Piper got back together, Leo saw them even less frequently than before. Sure, maybe Leo could have gone with them on some more adventures. But, there were…_issues_. They were all technically adults at that point, and Leo really did _not_ want to be alone with them camping. He was young and hormonal, and there were just some things you couldn’t _unhear_ between friends.  
  
That was really when Leo and Nico got along best, over all the years.  
  
Nico had been around a few times, he helped with Leo's new shop being set up in Camp Half Blood while Calypso was at the Waystation. They worked on designs, some days staying up all night. Both boys unfortunately tended to ignore the mortal need for sleep, but fortunately they also both enjoyed a good pizza and late night TV. Leo still wouldn't have said they were _best_ friends, not like Nico was with some of the others, but they were friends. It was cool, Leo missed some of his closer friends, and Calypso of course, but it was fun. Leo had fond memories of him and Nico staying up playing video games in pajamas. Leo had his own younger siblings in the Hephaestus cabin, but hanging out with Nico was sort of like bonding with other kids in foster care when he was younger.  
Nico, with floppy wavy hair, yelling _horrible _things at him in Italian as Leo won – or, alternatively, looking like the cat that caught the canary, if Nico won. And, if they were playing co-op, demolishing any other team with ease. They’d not really fought together in person much, but at least virtually they worked well together.  
  
Nico eventually decided to go on some missions, for something or other, Leo couldn't remember why. Then he was gone again, vanishing like he would. A year passed, and while Leo was visiting Hazel and Frank in New Rome, Nico showed up again. They nodded at each other, chatted a bit; Nico mentioned his new boyfriend in passing, then they ate pizza again like old times…and that was it.

Two more years. _Nothing_.  
Sure, Leo heard bits and pieces from Hazel and the others, but nothing more than that. It was a little upsetting, that Nico had apparently visited everyone else _but_ him. He thought they were friends, at least kind of? Maybe he was just busy, but it was hard not to take it personally.

But that was then, and this was now.  
Leo didn't want to be _friends_ with _this_ Nico.  
He wanted to climb him like a spidermonkey.  
  
“Earth to Leo? Is that a…baby?” Nico broke the extended flashback, looking down at Leo’s chest.

“What?” Leo asked dumbly, before his senses caught up. “Oh, yeah. This is, uh, my son… I guess?”

Nico stared, black eyes focused on the baby like he was trying to work out if it might possibly be a robot or projection of some kind. He somehow made staring seem attractive too. Narcissus could go fuck himself (and probably wanted to).

“I hadn't heard of you having a kid...” Nico trailed off, taking a few steps closer (to Leo's heart, no, down boy), to look down at the child in the sling.

“I hadn't until yesterday either, actually. Calypso dropped him off.”

“Oh, um...congratulations?” Nico muttered awkwardly, like he didn't actually know the proper response to having a child. Come to think of it, neither did Leo.

“Yeah, no, it's …_so_ fucking weird. Don't worry about it. He just showed up next to Calypso, apparently. This age, day before yesterday. Something about...godly...magic baby birth or something? Probably one of the few babies born without either parent being aware.” Leo explained, knowing as insane as it sounded, Nico had probably heard weirder.  
  
“That’s the weirdest thing I have ever heard in my life.”

Okay. Or maybe not. Nico’s mouth had fallen open slightly, and his beautiful dark soulful chocolate colored eyes …er. _His eyes widened_. There we go. (Leo did NOT do subtle well.)

“That's, uh. _Huh_.”

“Yeah, no shit, man. I'm taking him to see Jason and Piper, because as if my life wasn't easy enough, this lil guy also likes to set himself on fire and then float around my living room and scare my babies.” Nico raised an eyebrow, and Leo let out a bubble of nervous laughter, and tried to correct himself. “_Spheres_. Ha…haha? Not..._Babies_. I don't call my spheres babies. That. That would be weird. Or so I’m told.”  
It far too late.

“Wait, wait,” Nico held up a hand. “Did you say _Float_?”  
Leo nodded tiredly, so, so very tiredly.

“Only your kid, Valdez. Where is Calypso? She didn't have any advice on how to handle him?” Nico looked around, like Calypso would pop out of nowhere, as though that wasn’t Nico’s whole ninja thing.

“No, she wanted us to…bond, I guess. She went back to Olympus.” Leo said, feeling rather solemn again. Nico looked lost.  
  
“Olympus? Why is she in Olympus?” Did…Nico not know?  
  
“She…lives there?” Leo said slowly, gauging Nico’s reaction. He looked completely taken aback. “Uh. Calypso…when she got her powers all back, the Gods eventually decided on making her Goddess of Lost Souls of the Ocean, or something like that. I think it makes more sense in Minoan, apparently. Gives her control over Ogygia, and other areas outside normal space and time. Bermuda Triangle, Dragon Triangle, a few other mystical terrible triangles in oceans. I don’t know how much they wanted to, but Apollo and she are friends, and she’s also the daughter of Atlas, so I think they basically just did it to appease her after years of imprisonment.”  
“It's hard for her, you know,” Leo started awkwardly after a minute, because Nico looked like he had no idea what to say. Also, Leo was uncomfortable with uncomfortable silences. Especially around very attractive people. “She's immortal, so having mortal children is kind of...”

“She doesn't want to be around to watch them grow up.” Nico finished for him; any demigod understood on some level. Leo hummed in agreement, glancing down at the baby militarily strapped to his chest. Leo thought of his mom, wondering how she had managed to deal with a tiny baby Leo as just a normal human. He supposed Hera babysitting him and occasionally stuffing him in the oven was probably best for his mom’s sanity, in the long run.

“Are you two not still, uh, together?” Nico asked, looking like he wanted to kick himself for the small-talk.  
  
Leo laughed and shrugged, jostling Felix slightly. Felix made a noise like a tiny angry bull, huffing.  
“I'm not sure. No? I suppose not? We love each other, sure, but we've never really been a normal couple. Hard to be when your relationship starts with island curses and an overly complicated suicide plot. After we left Ogygia, met up with Apollo, ended up at the Waystation…We said we wanted to see where we were. I don’t think we ever actually said we were officially dating. Marriage and all that was never really on the table, not when she knew my life span is pretty much nothing compared to hers. I'll probably always be at her beck and call, though. I'm pretty sure if someone so much as sneezed on me around her she'd just straight up turn them into a guppy. But, I mean…we haven’t lived together for…a while. A good long while.”

Nico didn't say anything for a moment, looking at Leo seriously. That kind of stare could do things to a guy, Leo thought and glanced away. Then again, Nico always had a way of looking like he was looking directly into your soul. It was unnerving.

“Sorry, over share much?” Leo joked, brushing it off, but Nico shook his head.  
  
“No, it's fine…Can I ask his name, if you've gotten there yet?”

“Felix,” Leo answered happily, looking down at the kiddo. “He got named right after he started spitting up fireballs at me, and Calypso made me promise not to name him Festus.”

Nico laughed softly, low and smooth, and Leo resisted the urge to shout, 'I’ll have _your _crazy magic babies any day.'

“Well, I was about to go see Hazel…If you wanted to go there first, I could help out with Felix? No one believes me, but I actually like kids.” Nico offered, and Leo resisted the urge to reach up and pinch his cheeks for being too damn adorable. That wasn’t really a new emotion, he often had the urge to pinch Nico’s cheeks or boop his nose when Nico was younger. That, or cower in fear from him. One of the two. (To be fair, Leo felt the same way about Hazel when she was younger too. Maybe it was just a death kids thing.)  
Nico had even slipped more into an Italian pronunciation of Felix' name, which made it all the more cute.

“Sure, why not? Frank won't kick me out if you're with me. Maybe.”

“He'd probably take the baby, and _then_ kick you out, huh?” Nico teased as they started walking towards the Roman’s domus.

“Probably rename him Oak Willow Levesque-Zhang or something else stupid. Did you hear what they named their cats? Fluffy and Hope?”

Nico groaned. Leo liked that sound.

“Gods, don't remind me. Last August when I stayed with them, those little monstrosities kept me up all night for a week.”

Leo grew silent, his steps slowing.  
…Last August? He hadn't known Nico had been around then. He tried to shrug it off, but it stung. Leo had been in New Rome consistently for a few years now, with his shop. Harley was generally in charge of the Camp Half Blood side of things, under _very_ specific instructions from Calypso. She still took the position very seriously. Goddess and businesswoman.

“Hey, man, I don't think I ever extended the olive branch, but if you ever need to stay in town but don't have a place you can always crash with me? Or. I would have said that before, you know, demon baby.”

Leo tried to say it like it was no big deal, just an off the cuff remark, and tried not to get upset when visibly Nico flinched.

“Ah, uh, yeah. Sure, thanks. Hazel doesn't usually turn me away, or Reyna, but...I appreciate the offer.” Nico looked away, sounding like he was also aiming for sounding formal yet casual.

“Yeah, sure. And, like. Don't be afraid to stop by and say hey? I can always order in some pizza, beer, or burgers or something…if you get bored of quinoa and tofu.” Frank and Hazel were on a health food kick.

At that, Nico stopped walking.

Leo stopped as well but didn't turn around to look at Nico. “I mean…It's almost as though you don't want to see me, but that'd be silly…since you came over sometimes back at camp. We hung out a lot. Just, I guess…not since.”

“Leo,” Nico started softly.

“Do you not like me?” Leo finally blurted out, lack of sleep weighing on his decision-making skills. Nico looked extremely uncomfortable; his cheeks slightly pink. “I thought we were friends.”

“I …I don't dislike you. It's just. That I...You're…Leo, to me, you’re…”

Leo felt his heart race, a billion different romance novels running through his head. Not even the baby strapped to his chest could ruin his mood. Was he wrong? Was it possible Nico harbored feelings for him?  
“Yeah?”

Nico ran a hand through his still shaggy hair. “I think I was kind of just...jealous and overwhelmed.”

'Is this happening, is this seriously happening? Oh my many Gods.' Leo repeated like a mantra in his head, feeling his cheeks and tip of his ears heat up.

“Leo, your ears are on fire.” Nico pointed, a bit awkwardly.

Leo raised his hands to slap the side of his head repeatedly. “Ha, ha…sorry. They just… Do that. In the cold sometimes. Never need earmuffs though. So, ahem, what were you saying? About jealousy and overwhelming emotions?”

“I don’t think I said anything about emotions…” Nico frowned, but Leo huffed and waved a hand for the man to continue. Nico sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “It's...complicated? That time in my life, I was just kind of all over the place...I had just come back to camp, and people kept saying how much _better_ and happier I seemed …but, a lot of our friends had left. Everyone I knew, my connections to this time, to this life…were just spread out everywhere. It felt weird. But, with you…it was good. It was fun. I wanted to spend more time hanging out with you. Then, I found myself getting jealous of you and Calypso. I didn’t want to slip back into that mentality I had before, and it was getting harder to ignore it, the longer I spent around you. I found myself getting upset at stupid things. Getting upset if she was there.”

Leo could feel his heart thumping in his chest. Should he be reacting like this? Leo hadn't crushed on Little Bo Peep of the unliving before, had he? I mean, Nico had been cute for a long time. The kind of cute you wanted to wrap up in a warm blanket and shove forcibly in front of a fireplace, then hand them a cup of cocoa while repeating, _'shh, it's alright_.'  
He was still cute, but in a far more…_hot damn_ way.

If Nico wanted to date, could Leo even agree to it? How would Calypso react? Could Leo date with a son now? Was that legally allowed?  
  
“That probably sounded weird,” Nico added, with an awkward grimace. “I wasn't, like, in _love _with you or anything. You're not really my type.”  
  
_'Am I getting Percy'd right now?' _Leo thought hollowly_.  
_  
“I just really wanted the kind of relationship you and Calypso had. It was very..._Greek_. True love, tragedy, sticking together through everything, and I really admired that. I mean, you _died_ to reach her. I guess, on some level, seeing you just brought up some of those emotions again. I had thought we were similar, deep down, but then you had this _perfect_ romantic true love. So, when I was single, or not sure where a relationship was going, the idea of being around you and Calypso just…sucked.”

Leo's brain train slammed to a stop, and he tried desperately to not feel disappointed.  
“… You were just...envious?”

Nico nodded, “essentially.”

Leo felt Felix tug softly at his shirt. That hurt. But at the same time…

“Nico, honestly…I get it. I was the perpetual 7th wheel before you showed up on the Argo. I spent...a good deal of time thinking those same thoughts about...Piper and Jason, then Hazel and Frank…”  
  
“Percy and Annabeth,” Nico added softly.  
  
“Right. I mean, I made a promise to Calypso on the Styx, just on the idea that _maybe_ I wouldn’t be alone anymore. I was willing to do anything, because I was lonely and scared. And, in all honesty, I still feel that way, sometimes.” Leo admitted, and Nico began to look guilty. “I have good days and bad days, and sometimes I don’t want to be around Jason and Piper. Sometimes I feel like I’m just not meant to find anyone, not in the way I want.”  
  
“Leo, I…didn’t know about you and Calypso. I’m sorry. If I had known…”

Leo waved off the apology. “Don’t worry about it. All is forgiven, I was never angry. I’m just saying, I get it. Growing old with a person you love? Still not something I'm going to have. Not with Calypso, anyway. So, hey, come by sometime, okay? We can talk about dragons and shit and play some games. You don’t ever have to feel awkward around me. I should be, at all times, the most awkward person in the room.”

Nico nodded once in agreement, with a small sheepish smile.  
“I will, I promise. I mean, if you're not busy with this little- _Leo, the baby is glowing_.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leo can't catch a break.
> 
> I like the idea of Leo and Nico fighting together, and Leo using fire to create shadow, while also keeping enemies away, while Nico uses the shadows and fire to get behind the opponent.
> 
> I picture Nico's 16-18 years being just...growth spurt awkwardness, tripping over his own feet like a dog, voice cracking still. just trying desperately to grow into his features, but for a good 2 years he looks like one of those weird oriental siamese cats that looks like a goblin and meows like a goose.


End file.
